Dolphins Select RB Miller In Fourth Round

Sticking close to home, the Miami Dolphins went with another University of Miami player with their first pick of the last day of the 2012 NFL Draft, trading up six spots with the San Francisco 49ers to take speedy running back Lamar Miller 97th overall.

Miller joins defensive end Olivier Vernon as the two Hurricanes to be added to the roster and has the speed and quickness to compete with Reggie Bush in the backfield. Miller was projected to go higher by some experts and obviously General Manager Jeff Ireland didn’t think he’d fall much further so he pulled the trigger, swapping fourth-round picks this year and giving the Niners one of their sixth-round picks this year (196th) and a sixth-round pick next year. That 196th pick was the one Miami acquired from the New Orleans Saints last year in the trade for Bush.

“It’s a great feeling being a Miami Dolphin and I really can’t express how I feel,” said Miller, who grew up in Miami and went to Killian High School. “I’m very comfortable at the stadium after playing there my whole University of Miami career and it’s a great environment. I just want to help the team out and I grew up a Dolphins fan.”

This is the first time since 1991 that the Dolphins have selected a pair of 'Canes in the same draft. In '91, Miami used its first-round selection (23rd overall) on wide receiver Randall Hill and its eighth-rounder (220th overall) on defensive back Roland Smith.